Boards Books

When my son was a small boy he loved all the Richard Scarry books. Now that he is the father of a small boy, I was delighted to find Richard Scarry's Biggest Word Book Ever published as a giant board book.My grandson found the large size a bit intimidating at first, but now it is one of his favorite books.

we gave this to our four-year-old grandson. we then spent much of the days that followed reading and laughing at its contents (and learning some things too).

understatement: it was a huge hit. even if you have other scarrys -- and the content of this one does overlap the content of some other titles -- its format makes it special.

recommended without reservation!

my baby loves her biggest book- it's strong and covered with the pictures and words she loves, and for me, I grew up with Scarry, so I feel good about what she is learning.

We've had to buy another copy of this book as the first one had to be given away when we moved overseas. Our kids begged us to buy another one so our youngest child would not grow up without it!

I give this book about twice a year to little children learning to talk! I hear from their parents that it immediately becomes one of the favorites - and I find adults enjoy creative use of the book as well (eg:telling stories about the pictures, promoting imagination and self directed play) It's a sure winner, and Amazon price absolutely the best!

This is one of those books I found as a child AFTER seeing the Disney movie and reading that it was based on a book. As usual, the book is so much better! If you've never read this book, but you're fond of the movie, or of dogs, you will love it. The story is truly heart-warming, and I love that certain scenes are oh-so familiar if you've seen the movie, but so much of the story is completely new! Did you know Perdita is NOT the name of the "leading lady"? That's all I'll say about the actual story, but please, read it for yourself, even if you don't have kids. It's a wonderful read-aloud book, too--the first time my husband ever heard about this book was when I made him lie down and let me read it to him. We didn't have a child then, so now we get to share it with our son, too. Truly, a wonderful book. However, just so you know--the second book is not nearly so good! I own both of them, but I probably won't read the second one more than one more time, when I read it to my son. It's just not at all the same thing--aliens in London? Anyway, read 101 Dalmations and I know you'll enjoy it!

I loved this book I read it when I was very young, I fell in love with it then, I lost the book and for years thought of getting it again. I feared that I would not like it as much, it was as I remembered, and not the Disney version. I still love the book it did not let let me down. It made me laugh, cry and now understand my dog a little more (ha ha)

I owned this book by Dodie Smith when I was a boy. I loved it and from this story I developed an even stronger love for dogs and animals in general. Written in a most loving way, the story takes us beyond the later Disney film's watered down presentation of the story and dives deep into the realm of dogs. We discover the magic of "dogdom" and how dogs of every kind communicate with each other and with their humans (as Dodie states, and I am certainly paraphrasing, dogs own their humans, but let them think they own the dogs because it is so sweet!)

I have only one complaint about this publication of the book. the illustrations are just short of atrocious. I had an earlier edition of the book that had wonderful drawings that clearly were created with a real understanding of the story and what Dodie was trying to say. The illustrations in this edition look like they were pulled from someone's generic dog clip art. They are technically fine in their own right (I could NEVER draw like that), but they just don't capture the magic of the book.

If you can look past the illustrations, this is a wonderful story and a well written book.

101 Dalmations has appeal to dog lovers of all ages, breeds and sizes.

Dodie Smith - Thanks for leaving this gem for all to share.

This is a charming and delightful book that is deserving of its status as a classic of children's literature.

It takes a dog's eye view of the world, and features as its heroes Pongo and Missis, a pair of Dalmatians whose litter of puppies disappears one day.

As they set off to reunite their family, they find themselves in a struggle against the illegal coat-making operation of one Cruella Deville, an iconic villainess whose name and passion for high temperatures hint that she may be the devil incarnate.

The book becomes a fantastic quest book that takes place in the heart of England. The adult dalmatians find friends and foes along their path, and end up liberating nearly a hundred little puppies.

Smith has fun with the details and logistics of feeding, disguising, and transporting the refugee puppies, and young readers will enjoy learning the particulars of the secret lives of dogs.

The original animated movie adaptation is a good and fairly faithful movie in its own right, but the book is better by far.

Some parents might shy away from the book because of the gruesome idea that Cruella literally skins her young charges, but I think that the darker elements are an integral part of the winning tone, which refrains from talking down to children.

Highly recommended!

I won my tattered, dog eared, Disyned-fied copy of "100 Dalmatians" in a school auction when I was 7 years old. I learned to read late because I'm dyslexic (hence any bad spelling you may notice) so this was the first real chapter book that I ever owned and the very first I read.

It was great. This is a fabulous novel for all ages but especially for kids. I'm not going to re-hash the plot because I think the whole world knows it by now. The themes of good parenting, loyalty, and of course, good, intelligent, kind dogs are things that every child should learn. It is true that this book contains some talk of puppy killing, which didn't disturb me, and I'm guessing that today's 7 year olds wouldn't be scared by it either.

Another reason to read, or let your child read this book is that it will encourage a love of dogs, and having grown up with dogs every minute of my life, I can tell you having one (or more) helps immensely in all kinds of situations, social and otherwise. It provides an example of love and loyalty, as well as the responsibility involved in feeding and caring for a dog. However on that note Dalmatians, contrary to the lovable Pongo, Missus and Perdita in this book, do not make good dogs for children. They don't have the temperament for it. If you read this book and decide to get a dog for your child (an excellent idea) I recommend a good old fashioned mutt (they're smarter because they're not inbred) or a border collie, which can actually be trained to be nannies for children because of their sheep herding instincts.

Anyway, five stars. Great for the whole family, and an excellent way to encourage reading in a child of any age. At 18 years old I still love reading this book. And the sequel, "The Twilight Barking" isn't half bad either.

I bought this book most recently for my sister's new baby. It's one of the few books that I can read again and again and again (my child loves repetition!) and not get really annoyed. Cute pictures and lovely message.

I love the message in this book, that even when Little Gorilla isn't little anymore, everybody still loves him.

I'm meh on the illustrations - they're not my favorite style, but that's rarely my priority anyway :) The color choices seem odd to me, but really, I don't pay that much attention myself.

On good days, I like that the book has a nice, calm pace. On other days, I'm frustrated that it takes so long to get *absolutely nowhere*. I know it's a board book, but it's a book about birthdays, not bedtimes - you'd expect a little more action in it.

And most of all, it doesn't really engage my nieces, and never has. When we read it, it's because I choose to read it for a change, they never do.

what is there to not love about this book? there aren't too many words & the pictures are so cute that there are plenty of things to have a conversation with my baby about. (You know, like, "Look at that butterfly! Is it pretty?" or "Do you see how much hippo loves gorila? She's taking him to the bananas. Do you see the bananas?") The story is warm & cute & it's a great birthday gift! Thanks to the person who gave it to us!

This was one our favorite childhood books. When I saw it on Amazon it brought back so many wonderful memories. My brother especially liked this book. My sister is having a baby and would really appreciate this book from our childhood. We're all in our thirties too!

I bought Little Gorilla on a whim because my son loves gorillas and at the time it was the cheapest board book on the shelf. I had no idea that it would soon become one of his favorite books as well as one that he would soon commit to memory.

Little Gorilla is a delightful tale of a young gorilla who is loved by "just about everyone in the great green forest". When he suddenly begins to grow (and grow), he finds that everyone still loves him. This simple little tale may not seem like much at first, but as my son approached his second birthday I could tell that the book offered an additional measure of reassurance that even though he was becoming a big boy, his family and friends would still love him.

I worried briefly that the authors unusual artistic style might not appeal to my son (aside from the title character these animals aren't what you'd consider "cute"), but he took to it right away, and after repeated readings (too many to count) he was able to supply some of the words to the story if I left a line unfinished. At this point he can almost recite the whole thing. Fortunately so can I. Even when the book is nowhere close, reciting this story is all but guaranteed to soothe most tantrums and crying fits, and does wonders to calm him before bedtime.

Little Gorilla gets this parent's highest recommendation. It's perfect for children between 1 and 3, and is perfect for expecting parents as well.

An excellent picture book by a fantastic writer and illustrator. All of her picture books are consistently great. Use of pattern and language which make children want to hear the story over and over. Pictures are excellent with lots to look at

My almost-3-year old son has loved this book for the past year. We've read it so many times that he, my husband, and I can recite whole sections of it. The rhymes are infectious, and the language is great -- not dumbed-down for kids.

My daughter got this book when she was 3 years old and she still remembers all the words. This well-loved book won't make it to another child. I never knew that there were more Slinky Malinki books until I found this one online. I will definitely buy those ones also.

My favorite cat name to recite from "Harry Maclary, Scattercat" has always been "Slinky Malinki..." Turns out I am not alone, and Lynley Dodd graduated the ebony meowser from footnote to full-on protagonist, with a series of his own.... This is the first volume of the S. Malinki saga, in which a kleptomaniac kitty-cat goes prowling through the neighborhood, kiping old gloves, sneakers and bits of string. When his pile of trashy treasures topples over at home, Slinky's secret is discovered, and he has to quit his klepto ways. Once again, Lynley Dodd's artwork is a delight, and the bouncy rhymes propel us along as well. A fun book, even if the protagonist is a sneak thief...

I'm 18 and a freshman in college and I was read this book all the time when I was a kid. I still love it. After a discussion about children's books, I remembered how much I'd loved this particular book and came to Amazon to buy a copy.

The SLJ review made me sad. I read all the time as a young child. I was a strong reader before even starting kindergarten and spent at least six days of the week at the library. I can't remember the huge majority of books I've read, but this one stands out to me. I adored this book as a child and it made enough of an impression on me to come looking for it 14 years later.

Elmo So Big is a wonderful first book. Both of my two kids loved it starting around 6 months of age to about 18 months. The book portrays simple everyday activities and motions that the baby or toddler can relate to and imitate. I also believe my kids loved the book so much because of the color scheme-simple with a lot of contrast. While kids lose interest in the book beyond 2 years old, it is still worth having for the early smiles, giggles and learning.

This is my daughter's favorite book (since she was about 8 months old). The pictures are big and colorful, the text is simple and familiar to little ones and encourages movement (stretching arms, touching toes), and the pop- up at the end will continue to delight for months to come. It's the first book she pulls off her bookshelf every morning. It's pretty durable considering she grabs at it every day (many other pop-up books have ripped).

My son has loved this book from 6 months and it's one of his favorites still at 16 months.

This is a great book for babies and toddlers! They love it when Elmo pops up on the last page! Both of my girls loved this book!

My 9 month old has LOVED this book for about two months now. The big, pop-up Elmo on the last page is a favorite, as well as all the things that baby Elmo does that he can mimic (pointing to his nose, pointing to his hand, saying "mama," etc.). With simple, colorful illustrations, this book is a hit for the baby set. Plus, it's a board book, so it stands up to some slobber, wear, and tear.

The book, Danger.Com @2// Firestorm, was an exciting novel. Children solving terrorist attacks on none white nationalities because the child was on a chat line. The author, Jordan Cray mad this book very exciting and was able to expand the imagination for the youthful children of the world.

My mom got me this book about 2 years ago and I thought it looked really stupid. One night not to long ago I was so bored and just wanted to read something so I got the book out and started to read it. I couldn't put it down! I read it in 2 nights and now I love the series. Anyone who likes computers would love this series. Just read the book and you'll see what I mean!

Well, I read this book when I was in 4th grade, that was like 4 years ago! But, this book was so cool, It took me one night to read it! I read it all nite, even at the dinner table....Any kid or adult that likes the internet, mysteries, and suspense should definetly go by this book!! Also, Pantera is the coolest band ever...To all kids. go buy the CD called "Reinventing the steel" plus, I am 14, not 12....I had to put 12 cause that is the oldest age on the form

I think the book is very exciting and dramatic. It's very dramatic sometimes, then it could be really funny. It is mind boggling and it makes you think and it doesn't give you any clues or hints. It will make you think it is a certain person, then you'll find out it isn't that person. It is a great book to read. I have bought the whole series because of the way the author details everything. So, I hope you like it as I have in the 3 books I have read.

This book was cool and I really enjoyed it. IF you like suspense you should read this book. Poor x-posse was outsmarted by a surfer dude HA HA HA

Patrick pours years of community management experience and firsthand real-world examples into what could be called the manual for online community managers or owners.

I especially like how he outlines best practices while also giving personal advice just as he would if he were talking to you face-to-face. His candid, personal writing style makes you feel like you're reading advice from a friend more than a typical management book.

Managing Online Forums also has numerous examples of forms, guidelines, notifications and more and they are all downloadable from the book's website.

If you run or are thinking of running an online community, you owe it to yourself to buy Patrick's book.

I thought I'd been doing community work long enough that I wouldn't find much new in this book. I was flat wrong. While some of the more technical discussion wasn't relevant to my needs, the rest of the book is a treasure trove of ideas and tips for effectively managing communities.

If you're just starting your own community or are brining on new staff members, get this book, read, absorb.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R358T2YX60AECK Great book if you're wanting to start an online forum. It has everything you need to know from an expert who's done it multiple times. Highly recommend it.

"Managing Online Forums" is the complete How-To guide when it comes to running your online community.

Whilst the book does go into some of the more technical aspects, "Managing Online Forums" mainly shows you how to deal with your members so that you can successfully create a great place for discussion. It's obvious that Patrick knows his stuff when it comes to online forums and he shares his own personal experiences whilst explaining the Do's & Don'ts of community management.

Patrick's conversational tone makes this book easy to read from cover to cover but at the same time the subheadings and layout make it excellent for quick reference. The whole way through there are examples of guidelines and templates taken directly from Patrick's own communities which you can easily build upon to make your own.

If you are considering starting your own forum, or indeed if you already have, "Managing Online Forums" is a must read in order to learn how to get to grips with your community and what to do to ensure your community thrives.

Managing Online Forums is a great resource for both those starting out in the world of online forum management and seasoned veterans looking to improve and grow their online communities. The effectiveness of this book as a resource is founded upon three main strengths. The first of these is the author's experience and knowledge of the subject based upon years of administrating online forums. He knows what works and what doesn't. By tapping the author's knowledge, a forum manager can avoid wasting time and effort going in directions that are, ultimately, unfruitful. Instead, he can focus on only those things that are proven effective. Second, the book is organized in a logical sequence. It begins with suggestions on choosing a domain name and progresses through ideas on keeping an established forum interesting. Third, the book is effortless to read, avoiding technical jargon except when necessary. This effortlessness can transform into absorption, at times.

Ultimately, if you are interested in starting and running your own online community, Managing Online Forums is a great place to start. However, its usefulness does not end once a forum is up and running. As your community grows you will once again be able to reference the knowledge that exists in this book to further develop your community.

have a problem with using words like "brilliant", "masterful" and "intelligent." But willing apply all words to this brilliant book, masterfully research and intelligently told.

The author gives a very full and complete treatise on Brown versus the Board of Education, but of greater interest, he writes of all the history that lead up to the ruling.

An exceptional book chronicling an extremely important issue in our country's history.

This is certainly the best book ever written -- the best book that ever will be written -- about race, law and American society. It is a remarkably insightful history and one of the most stunning existing examples of narrative journalism. It is a masterpiece.

I'm a fan of nonfiction works and this easily moved to my top 5 favorite books. When I was growing up there were no courses on the contributions blacks made to America. There was no black history month. And I was cheated. I'm a 50+ white woman who lived through desegregation and had no clue that it was a struggle. I honestly don't remember a time when my elementary classes were all white but they must have been. I do remember clearly when my elementary class stopped being all white. That was when Richard Harris became my Batman buddy. On the aftenoons following the show we would go to the neighborhood soda shop and have a coke and discuss all the action of the previous evening's show and check for new Batman bubble gum cards with the intensity that only 5th graders can bring to such an important endeavor. It felt normal to chat Batman with Richard; and I'm so sorry for all the children that had such a dumb practice as segregation rob them of those moments.

This book read like a thiriller for me. Couldn't put it down. Underlined and highlighted parts. Read other sections out loud to my husband and to some friends at work. This is American history. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn about the value of education, the value of varied experiences and the perseverance to acquire the rights that should never have been denied to the black people. It's made me hungry to know more and I'll be keeping my eye out for other works by Kluger. Excellent author.

I just finished this book, A Simple Justice, and it is fantastic. It's the story of Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, which is the landmark Supreme Court case that desegregated compulsory public schools in America. But it's so much more than that. After reading this book, I felt almost ashamed of my previous ignorance to the struggles and condition of black america at the hands of almost everyone else in the country. It is comprehensive in its scope and perspicacious in its analysis, sparing no feelings on either (or rather, any) side. I believe myself to be, for the most part, a judicious man when it comes to philosophical or sociological observations, but Kluger was able to open my eyes to angles I had previously missed on issues I thought I had resolved long ago. So if you're not too scared of big books, this one's worth the time.

Long a mainstay of every 1L's pre-law school summer reading list, SIMPLE JUSTICE is more than a retelling of the tortured history of the landmark cases now known collectively as Brown v. Board of Ed. It is more than a retelling of the agonizing struggles of both gifted and ordinary people---black and white and every other---to reverse the four centuries of racial disparagement that make up the ugliest of all underpinnings of the American Experiment. What SIMPLE JUSTICE is, is an exhaustive sociological history of race relations in the United States to the 1950s.

It is a book every American should read. The endemic quality of racism in the American psyche is so overwhelming that it is easy to lose the human element. SIMPLE JUSTICE restores that element with sensitive, intelligent writing, exhaustive and documented research, and a tone which is pitch perfect, strident when need be, reasoned and thoughtful throughout. Ultimately optimistic, SIMPLE JUSTICE will renew your belief in the American system even while tempering it.

In it's retelling of nightmarish incident after nightmarish incident (the explosive and hideous lynchings are often easier to understand than the equally hideous and more subtle segregation and caricaturing that endured for, it seems, ever), SIMPLE JUSTICE shows us an America riven by its view of itself as a noble nation being eaten by the canker in its soul.

Although many Americans now consider race discrimination passe, it is not so hard to see the continuation of a pattern of violence toward blacks and the denigration of the black experience, even today. And yet, there is more, for not only are Black Americans denigrated, but White Americans as well, both suffering because this nation is only a fraction of what it might othewise be.

SIMPLE JUSTICE is a crucial Civics lesson. Read it to learn. Read it to know. Read it. Read it again.

Sophie feels pretty awful about things. Actually, she's felt pretty awful for three years, ever since her younger brother Erhart died. He was seven and she was twelve. Since then, she has tried hard to keep his memory alive inside of her, specifically thinking of him a couple of times a day so he doesn't fade completely from her mind.

Making things even worse in Sophie's life is the fact that she can't seem to get along with her father, who had an affair shortly before Erhart's death and was thrown out of their house.

Then Sophie lost her best friend, Justin, who wanted to date her and stopped liking her when she refused to be his girlfriend. Now he circulates with a group Sophie refers to as the Wolf Pack, mindless guys who only care about impressing frivolous girls. Sophie feels pretty alone in the world.

The stops feeling so alone when she meets Francis, a guy whose mother died years ago. He seems to understand a little of what she feels about Erhart, and he is the first person in a long time she has enjoyed spending time with. He even respects that she isn't interested in dating anyone. But is she really not interested in dating anyone? Or would she maybe like to date Francis?

I really liked Francis' character and the way he related to and respected Sophie, although I found it a bit unrealistic that he would have stuck around so long when Sophie gave him so little encouragement. I liked that Sophie's family didn't completely break down after her brother died; she and her mother and sister were still pretty much okay. The character of Justin was lousy--it was hard to believe someone would be so insensitive to drop his friendship with a girl so easily when she refused to date him.

This book was interesting--at times. I found the main character quite boring, but Francis seemed complex, and I found his tear tattoo fascinating. This is a rather typical "coming-of-age" story and did not do much to capture my interest. I basically struggled through the story, but I didn't find it unbearable. It was well-written, but simply wasn't attention-grabbing for me. I gave it three stars as it just didn't have what it takes to make a wonderful novel.

This is one of my favorite books. The characters felt so real and were very memorable, especially Francis. I liked the plot and felt satisfaction when it endded. It was an easy read, but was also well written.

"Her brother is gone-but she is still here", says the cover. Sophie's younger brother died of leukemia when he was eight. That was two years ago. Day by day, Sophie finds herself forgetting him. She's scared of letting go of what little memories she has of him; until she meets Francis. Can she let go but still hold on of the memories she has? This was a very good book, very vivid of what Sophie goes through. She's someone that you could easily relate to if someone close to you died. At times though, she sounds very fake and un-caring. She's somewhat of a snob though that judges people by what she's heard about them. Francis teaches her that's not a wise idea and little by little, she finds herself falling in love with him. Yet part of her holds back. Plus, there's her complicated relationship with her father. Her parents are divorced and he was having an affair while her brother was dying. In a way she blames him for his death. Can Sophie give herself permission to be what she wants to be? To grow up?

When I was Older by Garret Freymann-Weyr is one of my favorite books. It is a fictional story about a Girl learning to cope her life. I loved this book, and i would recommend it to any teenage girl. It is a must read.
Sophie is a 13 year old girl growing up in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her brother died when she was very young, and She doesnt take it well. She still can't talk about him, or bring it up in a conversation with anyone. In a way, Earheart (her brother) is keeping her from growing up. Her thoughts are still on days when she was younger when she'd play with him before he got sick. Sophie must learn that Highschool changes people, and sometimes you have to accept that change.
I liked this book alot becuase I myself, can relate to how Sophie feels. Her brother is diagnosed with Lukemia and When he dies it breaks her heart. My mother had cancer, so i know how Sophie feels through the book.
Also, Garret Freymann Weyr is an amazing author. He tells this story with the use of Strong Diction, and great dialouge. his knack for writing really shines through. I never once wanted to put this book down, and i read it in 2 days. This book Not only shows the hardships of growing up, but learning how tocope with your problems. I recomend it for everyone.

This hardboard book has large, full page black and white drawings. Each page features a different animal-bunny, cat, etc. This is a great infant and toddler book to practice naming and labeling animals.

Bought a few black and white books and have been showing them periodically since our baby has been only a few days old. He will stare at the book and study things. I've only gotten through the cover and one page but I can see the images really capture the babies attention. Will be using it for months to come. Very nice illustrations. Highly recommended.

My mother-in-law will make up stories for my 4 month old daughter while she smiles at the pictures. Even without the stories, she'll still smile at the pictures.

My 7 month old daughter loves books -- loves to eat them, that is. Knowing that this is common in infants, I don't stress over that though.) However, there are a couple of her books that she actually likes to "read." Baby Animals: Black and White is one of them. She just stares at the pictures and doesn't seem to tire of it easily. She is so into this book that it is the first one she learned to turn the pages of herself. Babies love black and white images, and these are bold enough to really capture their attention. Highly recommended.

I ordered this book after reading that newborns are most stimulated by black and white images. I was amazed when I held the book up for my 3-week old to look and he actually looked at it and focused on each of the pages, scanning back and forth. It was really neat to see him paying such close attention to something at such an early age.